Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B17/00—Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings
  • E21B17/02—Couplings; joints
  • E21B17/028—Electrical or electro-magnetic connections
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B23/00—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells

Definitions

• wet connects are hydraulic or electric in nature, where a pressure competent connection or an electrically isolated connection, respectively, must be created. These require a reasonably high degree of cleanliness and there are several methods currently utilized to make these connections with varying success rates.
• optic fibers have become more and more the conduit of preference. As optic fibers require greater positional registration and even more cleanliness, the art is always receptive to improvement in systems designed to wet- connect such fibers.
• a downhole wet-connector and debris exclusion system includes a relatively stationary component; a relatively mobile component operably engageable with the relatively stationary component; at least one connector disposed behind a moveable debris exclusion member in a protected condition within the relatively mobile component; and at least one complementary connector disposed behind another movable debris exclusion member in a protected condition within the relatively stationary component each of the moveable debris exclusion members being openable to expose the at least one connectors therebehind upon axial motion of the relatively stationary component and the relatively mobile component into contact with one another.
• a method for excluding debris in a connector includes orientating a relatively mobile component with a relatively stationary component; opening a physical barrier to debris for each end of a two part connector; and aligning the two part connector and axially engaging the two part connector.
• Figure IA is a side partially transparent view of a downhole wet-make connector debris exclusion system as disclosed herein;
• Figure IB is the same view as Figure IA, but with two of the components illustrated in Figure IA removed to improve visibility of underlying structures;
• Figure 1C is the view of Figure IB rotated 180° to show the opposite side thereof;
• Figure 2 is a view of the system in Figure IA with profiles beginning to rotate various components of the system;
• Figure 3 A is a view of the system in Figure 2A with profiles further rotated;
• Figure 3B is tihe illustration of Figure 3 A rotated 180° to show the opposite side thereof;
• Figure 4 illustrates the next sequential movement following the Figure 3B view
• Figure 5 is a next sequential movement view after figure 4.
• Figure 6 A illustrates one side of the debris exclusion system fully connected; and [0016] Figure 6B illustrates an opposite side of the debris exclusion system from that illustrated in Figure 6A.
• a system 10 capable of promoting wet connection of an optic fiber (or other conductor) with appropriate positioning and debris exclusion is illustrated.
• a relatively stationary component 12 is referred to as a portion of a Packer, the rest of the components of which are not important to this disclosure and are therefore not illustrated.
• the relatively mobile component 14 is described as an anchor and is run from a remote location, such as a surface location, into contact with packer 12 in order to effectively wet connect and debris exclude at least one conductor (hereinafter, the conductor is called an optic fiber however it is to be understood that other conductors are also contemplated).
• the system 10 includes an anchor orienter such as an orientation profile 16 and a packer orienter such as an orientation profile 18, each of which is illustrated in Figure IA as just making contact near peaks 20 and 22 thereof. It is to be understood that the particular illustrated contact point is by way of illustration and not limitation as one of ordinary skill in the art should be aware that such profiles are designed to land in any orientation and then follow the profile to create the connection orientation that is desired in a particular application.
• a rotation ring 24 is a mechanical debris component that is rotationally mounted upon a rotation track 26. Rotation of the rotation ring 24 is automatic following landing of anchor 14 in packer 12 based upon grooves and cam followers discussed further hereunder.
• the rotation track 26 is an extension of a tubular alignment ring 28.
• the alignment ring 28 provides at least one and as illustrated two, though not necessarily limited to any particular number, tight through passages 30.
• the passages 30 tightly but not sealingly each receive a leg 32 of a female connector shell 34.
• the alignment ring 28 further provides a recessed section 36 visible in Figure IA but better seen in Figure IB.
• the recessed section 36 is receptive of an inner housing 38.
• the inner housing 38 has been exploded away from the rest of anchor 14 to make it easier to see.
• the inner housing 38 includes shell receptacles 40, receptive of female connector shells 34.
• Each receptacle 40 is in fluid communication with a flushing conduit 42 and a signal conductor conduit 44.
• the flushing conduit further includes an inlet 46 in fluid communication with a reservoir that is filled with flushing fluid during use of the system 10.
• the reservoir itself is defined by an uphole end 48 of alignment ring 28, an inside surface 50 of inner housing 38 (visible only in figure 1C due to rotation of the exploded view of the system), a piston housing 52 and a housing stop 54.
• the reservoir is not sealed in at least one embodiment, but is tight enough to hold most of the fluid therein until used.
• Inner housing 38 further includes biasing bores that in one embodiment include coil springs 58 to provide a bias on inner housing 38 toward a downhole end of anchor 14. It will be appreciated that any type of biasing means could be substituted as desired, including but not limited to fluid pressure devices.
• Springs 58 bear against a downhole surface 60 of stop 54 and cooperate with slots 62 in piston housing 52 through fasteners 64 that are attached to the inner housing 38.
• the fasteners 64 extend through openings 66 in inner housing 38 to positionally limit but not to fix movement of inner housing 38 so that the inner housing is compliant.
• the limited movement or compliancy of the inner housing 38 allows for similar limited movement in female connector shells 34 thereby reducing a potential shock load to female connector shells 34 and the conductor therewithal or allowing tolerance stack up issues to be absorbed without detrimental effect when connection is completed with packer 12.
• FIG. 10 there is another fluid reservoir provided within system 10.
• the reservoirs are necessarily distinct, but that their volumes are relatively segregated from one another. Strictly speaking, the reservoirs are fluidly connected in this embodiment and therefore constitute a single volume but due to the exit configuration for the fluid, they act as independent reservoirs.
• the second fluid reservoir is defined by the piston housing 52, the alignment ring 28, the inner housing 38 and the profile 16. It is not necessary to seal either of the fluid reservoirs. Because the tolerances are relatively close, and although the reservoirs will be leaky, the majority of the fluid contained therein will be available, at the time its use is required, for the purpose for which it is originally installed. This will be described further hereunder in the operation section of this disclosure.
• first conductor passage 67 which houses a conductor from uphole and second is a central conductor channel 68. In one embodiment, these two passages are in parallel. This construction allows for a substantial benefit with respect to debris flushing relative to the connector shells discussed herein. Because of the offset nature of the passages, there is the possibility of access to the central conductor channel 68, which is where connection is made to the male counterpart in the packer 12.
• a fluid transfer housing 70 At a relative opposite end of shells 34 from leg 32 is illustrated a fluid transfer housing 70 that ensures reasonable interaction between the flushing conduit 42 and the central conductor channel 68 of the shell 34.
• the female connector shells are configured to ensure a signal propagating optical connection between two optical fiber members not previously connected to one another. The details of how this is done are not included in this disclosure because they are the subject of US patent number 5,838,857, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
• piston housing 52 can be seen to include a groove 72 by which the rotation ring 24 is rotated during translation of alignment ring 28 along piston housing 52.
• a cam fastener 74 and a release fastener 76 are visible.
• the release fastener 76 in this embodiment is a shear screw, but it is to be appreciated that any hold and release device could be substituted for.
• the purpose of fastener 76 is to prevent premature motion of alignment ring 28 relative to piston housing 52. More specifically, alignment ring 28 should only move relative to piston housing 52 upon landing of anchor 14 in packer 12.
• the actual load of the landing is imparted through rotation ring 24 into alignment ring 28.
• the rotation of rotation ring 24 has for its purpose, to open the passages 30 at the downhole end of legs 32 of female connector shells 34. As noted above, the rotation ring 24 is a mechanical debris excluder and must be removed prior to connection of the optic fiber conduit at female connector shell(s) 34.
• each door includes an angled downhole surface 84 that rides upon an uphole angled surface 86 of a connector guard 88.
• the connector guard 88 mounts and protects at least one male connector shell 90 (as illustrated two, and as in the female connector, shells any number is possible). The male connector shell(s) 90 are thus maintained in an appropriate position laterally with respect to each other and longitudinally with respect to the female connector shells 34.
• each door 80 or 82 is provided with a cam profile (not shown) that may be a fastener or maybe a molded or machined component.
• flushing conduit 42 which is delivered through female connector shell 34 directly through the center of the connection. This virtually guarantees that no debris will be in the connector central opening.
• fluid from the reservoir that is substantially defined by the recessed section 36 is exhausted mostly through passages 30 thereby flooding a connection area 102 best viewed in Figure 5.
• the flushing fluid which may be a hydraulic oil or in other embodiments may be a different fluid.
• the fluid may be a viscosity adjustable fluid to allow for tailoring of the properties of the fluid for particular applications.
• the fluid is a hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) gel that is commercially available from many sources.
• the fluid flushes away any debris that might have landed on any of the connection portions of this system 10 during the orientation thereof and during the opening of the mechanical exclusion barriers of the rotation ring 24 and the doors 80 and 82. Further, the flushing fluid will create a temporary bubble of clean fluid around the connection site for the final connection movement.
• an added benefit can be achieved by adjusting the viscosity to provide both flushing of debris but also to provide a cushion for the connectors.
• the gel with enough viscosity to hold together will slow the connectors during connection and allow for a gentle engagement. In essence, the gel is used somewhat like a shock absorber. And as an added benefit, if HEC is utilized, there is no environmental impact as the material is environmentally benign.
• doors 80 and 82 are being pushed open by an axial load applied through the rotation ring 24 and the alignment ring 28.
• the doors 80 and 82 are illustrated in the partly opened position, whereas in the fully open position, they would be further rotated away from male connector shells 90.
• peak 20 is shown in contact with profile vee 104 of system 10, which is its completely connected position.
• anchor 14 will continue to rotate relative to packer 12 thereby aligning female connector shells 34 with male connector shells 90.
• a profile flat 106 and a profile flat 108 on anchor 14 and packer 12, respectively will allow a direct axial motion to ensue thereby causing female connector shells 34 to engage male connector shells 90 and at the same time allow profiles 16 and 18 to seat fully with one another with us circumferentially closing and protecting the connection area.
• the helix angle of profile 16 and profile 18 is important to the successful connection of system 10. These profiles must be timed accurately to align all components of system 10 in order to assure that a signal connection is achieved and that a mechanical connection is complete.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
• Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
• Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (3)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2007
  • 2007-08-13 US US11/891,759 patent/US7900698B2/en active Active
• 2008
  • 2008-08-10 EA EA201000315A patent/EA017408B1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-08-10 DK DK08797570.2T patent/DK2188487T3/en active
  • 2008-08-10 EP EP08797570.2A patent/EP2188487B1/de active Active
  • 2008-08-10 WO PCT/US2008/072731 patent/WO2009023609A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2008-08-10 BR BRPI0816223A patent/BRPI0816223B1/pt active IP Right Grant

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